Recommendations

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Burr Brew Grinder – I use the OXO Conical Burr Grinder, for me this offered the best mix of function and value. I would recommend this as the most basic burr grinder, once you get any lower priced than this the results aren’t good. See our review here.

The Baratza Encore is a grinder that’s highly recommended. It is probably the most recommended brew grinder out there. See our review here. These grinders are not recommended for espresso. The Fellow Ode is another great option at a higher price point, but delivers great results and good value.

The Timemore C2 Max is a great hand grinder for brewed coffee if you’re looking for something portable. For an hand grinder good for brewed coffee and espresso, check out the 1Zpresso K-Max. The J-Max is an excellent espresso focused hand grinder with precise adjustment.

Kitchen Scale – The FEESPEC Coffee Scale with Timer is the one I recommend, it offers good value and response time. It has a built in timer and comes with a silicone mat to help keep it clean. I tested this against much more expensive scales and found this one to work the best.

Check out my full post about kitchen scales here.

Pour Over Coffee Kit – An acrylic dripper works better than glass, ceramic or metal for keeping the brew hot. See our guides for pour over and the switch brewer.

Best Value Coffee Brewer – Ninja CE251 – This is our recommendation for best value coffee maker. Makes great coffee, can be programmed to auto start in the morning. We wish it had a thermal carafe option, but it has other great features at an attractive price point. Full review here.

Best Mid-Range Coffee Maker – Bonavita Connoisseur BV1901TS – This SCA certified home brewer makes great coffee with no frills at a great value. See my full review here. This brewer cannot be programmed or used with a smart switch.

Coffee Maker – Programmable – OXO Brew 9 Cup – This SCA certified home brewer has a timer feature to schedule automatic brewing. It comes with a thermal carafe and comes in at an attractive price point. It takes a little longer to brew as it pulses the hot water, but it offers great extraction. Full review here.

Coffee Maker – Non-programmable – Technivorm Moccamaster 79312 KBGT Coffee Brewer – This SCA certified home brewer is not programmable, but can be used with a smart switch. These machines are hand built in the Netherlands and have a 5 year warranty. Full review here.

Coffee Maker with Single Serving Options – Ninja CM407 Specialty Coffee Maker – This SCA certified home brewer can easily make different serving sizes and has a thermal carafe option. See our full review of the CM401.

Single Serving/French Press Coffee Makers –

All in One Espresso Machines –

If you prioritize ease of use with programmable shot volume, a good machine to look at is the Breville Barista Pro. It is a solid machine that offers great ease of use with a built in grinder. The Breville Barista Touch adds automatic milk steaming and a touch screen interface for those who want easy milk based drinks. I own a Breville Barista Pro and you can read the full review and an introduction to espresso here.

Espresso Machines & Grinders – If you want to geek out and possibly hack and modify these machines:

Espresso is a commitment, it isn’t as simple as hitting a button and having a nice cappuccino or latte in the mornings. You will get the best results from using a separate espresso machine and specialized espresso grinder because you need micro adjustments or stepless adjustments not found in brew grinders. You can look up videos on how to dial in espresso to get a better sense of the process, be ready for a new hobby. See our introduction to espresso here.

Here is our recommendation for a value espresso setup. Many people modify the Over Pressure Valve (OPV) spring on this machine for better results.

Gaggia Classic Pro & 1Zpresso J-Max Hand Grinder

Here is our recommendation for a mid-range espresso setup. Many people modify the machine to add a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Controller for better temperature control on this machine.

Rancilio Silvia M & Eureka Mignon Silenzio Grinder. If your budget allows the Siliva Pro X has great upgrade features included a PID, dual boilers and a shot timer.

If you want a bean to cup system check out the Breville Oracle Touch. This machine is not a true super-automatic because you have to move the coffee grounds yourself and pour the milk, but it provides better results versus a true super-automatic and has less moving parts. This machine has a PID and Dual Boilers which are must have features in a high-end espresso machine. It has a user friendly touch screen and adjustments to dial in your espresso shots.

Super-automatics are convenient, but most of these machines lack the adjustments needed to dial in your espresso properly, but can make great regular coffee. If you need a super-auto for the home or office, check out the Jura E8. For a lower price point Super-auto check out the Philips 4300 Series.

I mentioned for espresso grinders you want micro-adjustments or stepless adjustments (no clicks like on a brew grinder), the Jura E8 machine only has 6 grind settings, which makes it challenging to do a proper grind adjustment for espresso, but will work better for regular coffee. The Breville Oracle Touch I recommended above has 45 grind settings which will get you a lot closer to the right grind size, the Philips has a 12 step grinder. If you only make lattes and milk based drinks, you’re masking any potential bitterness of the espresso with milk, so it won’t be as noticeable as with straight espresso. These might be a good option for convenience or for the office that will still be much better than using pods.

Other Coffee Recommendations –

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